Functional polymer with supported pressure-sensitive luminophore, and pressure-sensitive paint and pressure-sensitive element using same

Abstract

An oxygen-quenching luminophore constituting part of a pressure-sensitive luminophore is directly bonded by a covalent bond to an organic polymer compound having trimethylsilyl groups, so the luminophore molecules are retained in the polymer and free aggregation is inhibited when the organic solvent is evaporated. It is therefore possible to prevent light response from being reduced by the aggregation of the luminophore molecules during evaporation of the organic solvent, which is a drawback of forming films from conventional mixed-type pressure-sensitive paints. A thin-film sensor with uniform characteristics can be formed by spraying or application from a pressure-sensitive paint obtained by mixing a functional polymer with a solvent. In addition, a coating solution that has high reproducibility and is suitable for spraying or application can be obtained merely by dissolving the functional polymer as a single component in a suitable solvent. It is possible to obtain a functional polymer, a pressure-sensitive paint, and a pressure-sensitive element in which a reduction in light response due to luminophore aggregation can be prevented, and a thin sensor film having uniform characteristics can be formed, even when the organic solvent has evaporated.

Description

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a functional polymer with a supported pressure-sensitive luminophore that has high pressure sensitivity and rapid response, such as the one that can be used, for example, in sensors for the optical sensing of oxygen; and to a pressure-sensitive paint and pressure-sensitive element featuring the same.2. Description of the Related ArtIn conventional practice, pressure-sensitive paints known as oxygen sensors are coating materials obtained by dissolving light-excitable substances having oxygen quenching properties in polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and other oxygen-transmitting resins. Oxygen sensors are produced by applying such paints to matrices, but the extent to which the light-excitable substances and oxygen are brought into contact with each other in such sensors depends on the phenomenon of oxygen diffusion in the resins, and the sensors are thus disadvantageous in the sense that their oxygen sensitivity depends on the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention relates to a functional polymer with a supported pressure-sensitive luminophore that can be used as a sensor material for oxygen and other gases. The polymer has high pressure sensitivity and can detect changes in oxygen pressure quickly. However, conventional pressure-sensitive paints have limitations in terms of oxygen sensitivity and response to pressure variations, and there is a need for a one-component pressure-sensitive paint that can form a thin sensor film with uniform characteristics and good response to pressure variations. The invention proposes a solution to this problem by providing a functional polymer with a supported pressure-sensitive luminophore that can be easily dissolved in a solvent and applied to various surfaces. The functional polymer has high oxygen sensitivity and does not aggregate during evaporation of organic solvents, resulting in a thin sensor film with uniform characteristics and good response to pressure variations.

Problems solved by technology

Oxygen sensors are produced by applying such paints to matrices, but the extent to which the light-excitable substances and oxygen are brought into contact with each other in such sensors depends on the phenomenon of oxygen diffusion in the resins, and the sensors are thus disadvantageous in the sense that their oxygen sensitivity depends on the temperature and that the temporal response in relation to pressure variations is inadequate.

In addition, the oxygen permeability of such resins decreases in low-temperature environments, making the sensors much less sensitive and unsuitable for use in measuring the ultralow-pressure on the surfaces of objects or detecting the traces of oxygen in the high-altitude environment; for use in measuring the distribution of pressure on the surface of a specimen in a cryogenic wind tunnel; or the like.

Although the sensor produced by this method is an exceptionally good product in the sense that high oxygen detection sensitivity can be ensured and the reduction in sensitivity at low temperatures is minimal, problems still remain because there are limits as to the materials suitable for forming porous films as sensor matrices, it is impossible to say which specimens would be better for conducting operations in which light-excitable substances are adsorbed on the porous films, and the like.

However, even these high-performance pressure-sensitive paints still have drawbacks that need to be overcome, such as nonuniform characteristics of the thin films formed by application, and a reduction in photoresponsivity due to luminophore aggregation during the evaporation of organic solvents.

It is thus possible to prevent response from being reduced by the aggregation of luminophore molecules during the evaporation of organic solvents, which is a drawback of forming films from conventional mixed-type pressure-sensitive paints.

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